


That Sound You Emit

by narryzarryziall



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, Jazz Age, M/M, New York City, Roaring 20s, a drabble that could be something more if given feedback :), and they are all in their early 20s, even though it's the twenties lgbtq+ is accepted, it's different ik it's how my mind works ok bye, musician!harry, musician!niall, socialite!Louis, socialite!liam, socialite!zayn, very much a work in progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 02:17:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8949874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narryzarryziall/pseuds/narryzarryziall
Summary: It's the Roaring Twenties and Jazz is in. Young, enthusiastic Harry plays his trumpet with such ease in a seedy yet fancy saloon in lower Manhattan for a chunk of change weekly. He doesn't dislike the place whatsoever, but he does become quite fond of the crowd that shows up. Particularly, the young, irresistibly handsome socialite Louis Tomlinson.Rich Louis who is obsessed with Jazz.Poor Harry who has nothing, but jazz.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! It's Leela and I got a moment to inspiration to write a fanfiction after watching the Great Gabsty. This fic is in no way a Gatsby AU. I'm just obsessed with the twenties and the scene it had. Hope you enjoy the drabble and I'd love some feedback/encouragement (if you like it) to continue.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE ACTUAL MEN OF ONE DIRECTION.

HARRY POV:

It's quite warm for a newly spring day in 1924. Smoke from freshly lit cigarettes float through the air as Harry warms up his trumpet. His heart beats slightly faster than usual, but that's only due to the nervousness that shifts through his body before a show. That anxiousness always reminds him he cares about his work and takes pride in it. He sets his trumpet down for a moment to adjust his bow tie. Harry Styles has lived in New York his whole life. He started playing the trumpet when he was about five years old. All he wanted at five was an instrument, didn’t care about what it was. He remembers his father grinning like a mad man, handing him this foreign object.

_It used to be your grandfather’s. I’ve never been great, but I can see you go far, son. Give it a go._

And that was the beginning. He couldn’t put it down. Harry rather go to his room to learn a new song from a piece of music he heard on the radio walking home from school than go outside and play with his sister and the neighbor kids. It became everything to him.

“You ready for this, lad?” His colleague and best friend, Niall, whispers into his ear. Niall originally got this gig first, but couldn’t keep this deal from Harry. Niall Horan has been there for Harry as long as he can remember. He was the kid to follow Harry around asking why he never wanted to play soccer with him at recess or why he didn’t want to play tag after school. He eventually wore Harry down and luckily enough. Niall was just as interested in music as Harry was. His specialty is the trombone and his love matches, almost reveals Harry’s. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

_It’s amazing, lad. Free drinks, we get to play our favorite kind of music, and come in contact with the richest of the rich! All kinds. IT’S INCREDIBLE! Niall mentions as he squeezes Harry’s shoulder._

Harry couldn’t deny it: it seemed hard to believe. He checked it out and was hooked. Begged the owner, James Corden, to audition and after a week of discussion and an easy process, Harry was a part of the band.

“As I always am.” Harry smiles, grabbing his trumpet and trails behind Niall onto the stage with the rest of the band.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE ENJOY THE MUSICAL SOUNDINGS OF THESE JAZZ COLLECTIONS.”

After the announcer moves away from the stage, the music begins. The way Corden’s works is the whole band starts with one song and as the night goes on, different musicians may play their pieces (always approve by James of course). Since Harry’s a newer addition, he hasn’t had the chance to play a solo for the crowd, but he hopes to do so soon.

The band starts off with a favorite of Harry’s to open the show. _Sing, Sing, Sing_ has the crowd snapping their fingers and moving to the rhythm.  The fast beat gets the flappers going which leads to the crowd dancing as well. Harry glances over to Niall’s section and the trombones are swinging their horns back and forth. Cheers erupt in the crowd as the piece goes on.

As Harry glances back at his music, someone in the crowd catches his eye. A man with perfectly styled hair and light blue eyes sits at a table with two other men about the same age as him. His gaze is fixed on Harry. Harry blinks at him and continues to do so as he looks back at his music and plays his part. He’s already memorized this song, but he’d rather look down than back up at this beautiful stranger.

The band ends with piece and the crowd cheers with glee. Most of the musicians get up to retreat backstage while some stay to perform a bit more.  As Harry makes it backstage, he manages to catch to Niall. He grabs his arm and tugs him back to the curtain.

“Hey…” Niall drawls out before pulling away and rubbing his forearm. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you seen that man before?” Harry quietly asks, peaking through the curtain.

“Which one? There’s tons of people here.” Niall rises an eyebrow, but looks through the curtain as well.

“Him. Sitting with those two guys in the suits.” Harry points quickly. Niall shifts his eyes to the table with the boy who wouldn’t look away from Harry during the performance.

“No, although he looks familiar. Why? Think he’s cute?” Niall smiles and turns away walking towards the back room where they keep their cases.

Harry blushes. “Well, yeah, but that’s not the point. He was staring at me the entire performance. There isn’t anything on my face is there? My hair out of place?” He runs to look at himself in the mirror across the room.

“Harry, you’re fine. I’m sure it was nothing.” Niall carefully takes apart his trombone and places it in the case.

“His look made me nervous.” Harry mutters, cleaning his mouth piece off and putting his trumpet away.

“You’re always nervous. Come on, let’s get a drink to put your mind at ease.”

They make their way out of the backstage area into the audience. Niall takes a moment to tease one of the flappers named Barbara, who tries to acted unimpressed.

“She wants me, Harry. I can tell.” Niall takes a seat on a barstool.

“I’m sure she does. You can tell by her constant rolling of her eyes. Because of you, she’ll permanently be looking at her brain.”

Niall pinches Harry’s underarm. He lets out yelp. “Shut up.”

They order their drinks and listen to the bustle of the crowd while enjoying their colleague’s arrangements. Niall’s friendly demeanor has a few people drunkenly laughing at his jokes and telling him to come around to their shows (whatever that means).

The crowd that Corden’s brings in ranges from broadway directors, film stars, governors, the mayor, locals, heiresses, and many more from around the city. There’s no telling who Niall could be engaging with.

Harry temporarily forgets the craziness around him and blankly stares into his drink thinking about what he should play as his first solo (one day). Nothing particularly comes to his head at the moment, probably due to the fuzziness that liquor gives his brain.

Speaking of buzzing, there’s a buzzing noise next to him that he can’t understand why it hasn’t stopped. He turns to find the man who he had recently had a staring contest with sitting next to him, softly smiling at him.

“I’m sorry, what?” Harry manages to say. The man chuckles, shaking his head.

“I basically had a conversation with you and you weren’t even here. How embarrassing.” He sips his drink, eyes still on Harry.

“Well, did you start with saying hello? I would’ve probably responded to that rather than a whole story.” Harry confidently slurs out. This mysterious man smirks.

“I did, actually, but your drink looked more important than anything else at the moment so.” He continues to stare at Harry, eyes basically piercing his soul. Harry feels his face flush.

“Oh—I apologize, sir. I—I, um, just—“

The boy laughs again. Harry doesn’t think he’s that funny for this man to laugh at his nervous stutters.

“I’m just messing with you. I saw you on stage. The performance was wonderful. I’m Louis. Louis Tomlinson.” He holds out his hand.

Harry quickly extends his hand. Louis probably can feel his pulse increasing right now, he thinks to himself.

“Um, thank you. That’s kind of you.” Louis nods, smiling softly at Harry.

Louis…Louis Tomlinson. That name sounds familiar, but the alcohol is blocking any pathway in Harry’s brain that retrieves information.

Harry takes a large sip of his drink, the liquid warming up his throat with a slight burn. When he looks back at Louis, the man is being pulled away by the two lads that were previously sitting with him. Louis glances back giving Harry a small wave before disappearing into the crowd.

He continues to stare in that direction before Niall pulls Harry from his seat.

“We have to get ready for the finale. Come on.” They hustle back to their instruments, quickly assembling them.

“Hey Niall.”

“Yes Harry?”

“Do you know a Louis Tomlinson?”

“You mean that super rich socialite?” Harry cocks his head.

“Huh?”

“The socialite? His parents own a number of hotels nationwide?” Niall glances at him confused.

“Really?”

“Yes! What about him?” Niall rushes past him with his trombone.

“That was him! He was staring at me and he just talked to me. Or tried to. I was out of it.”

“As you always are.” Harry pouts while Niall laughs.

“Come on. You can tell me later after the performance.”

LOUIS POV:

It’s a normal practice for Zayn and Liam to drag Louis out for the town. Louis would rather stay in and listen the radio’s sweet Jazz and eat some leftovers from the night before in the comfort of his penthouse. But that didn’t satisfy his friends.

“We’re going out and you’re coming with us.” Liam demands as Zayn pulls Louis up from his couch.

“And why should I? Can’t you two have a date night or something?” Louis sits back down. Zayn pulls his arm again.

“Because we want to go to this bar or club thing everyone’s been talking about. Have you heard about it? Corden’s?”

It doesn’t ring a bell in Louis’s mind so he shakes his head.

“Shouldn’t you know? You’re like king socialite.” Liam says, going into Louis’s room to find him something to wear.

“You act like you two act socialites yourselves.” Louis snatches his arm away from Zayn who lowers the radio and sets Louis’s meal to the side.

The three boys have been friends for years. Their families are all rich from old oil money although Louis’s family recently developed hotels around the USA. They understand each other in a way no one else can. They’ve been the three musketeers all their lives…Until Liam and Zayn fell in love with each other. Not that it was a bad thing, but it just left Louis to the sideline. He doesn’t mind though besides the constant honeymoon phase Liam and Zayn haven’t shaken since they started dating a few years back.

“Not the point. You should want to be out there! At every newly deemed ‘cool’ location!” Liam yells from his room. He comes out passing clothes to Zayn who holds them in front of Louis.

“I should?” Louis moves to the kitchen placing his dishes there. Zayn follows behind with his clothes, mentally deciding if Louis should wear it.

“Yes! You should! And you are going to wear this suit, with…” Zayn’s voice trails as he goes to a vest Liam has laid out.

“This vest. And those shoes.” Liam comes out of the room with Louis’s favorite pair of shoes.

“I don’t know, guys.” He glances at the outfit picked out by his best friends.

“Trust us, you’re gonna love it.” Liam proclaims as Zayn nods along.

They give him a moment to change and they’re off. Louis isn’t surprised that they end up in lower Manhattan. Zayn and Liam always lead him all over New York on a night out. There’s a bit of a line, but their status easily gets them through and to a table near the stage.

It’s loud and the audience seems to be getting antsy. Liam declares his grabbing drinks and scampers off.

“So, what do you think?” Zayn says wiggling his eyebrows.

“It’s smoky in here.”

“It’s smoky everywhere, Lou.” He rolls his eyes and sees Liam coming back.

“I love prohibition.” Liam says, sighing and sitting down.

They start to drink as the host announces the band.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE ENJOY THE MUSICAL SOUNDINGS OF THESE JAZZ COLLECTIONS.”

The familiar sound of _Sing, Sing, Sing_ fills Louis’s ears. His foot involuntarily taps to the beat. His eyes go straight to the musicians on stage. He glances around, learning the faces of the talents that are providing this amazing arrangement.

He stops at a young boy who couldn’t be older than him in the trumpet section. His mouth runs dry for a second. He’s never seen someone so gorgeous. He glows although the spring time has just started. His long fingers secure the trumpet as he waits to play again. The boy glances at the crowd and makes eye contact with Louis. Neither of them break it until the musician has to return to his music.

Louis has to speak to this boy. He has to.

The piece finishes and the crowd goes wild cheering to the band. Some musicians are heading backstage including the boy Louis momentarily had a staring contest with.

Liam and Zayn are rambling on about something Louis isn’t borrowed to listen to. He continues to sip on his drink hoping the man comes out so he can talk to him.

Luckily he sees him take a seat at the bar with a blonde lad that was also on stage. Louis holds his drink and stalks on over.

He takes a seat right next to him.

“Hi. I very much enjoyed your playing.” The boy didn’t respond. Louis cocks his head to the side staring at him.

“Hi. I liked your performance. It was actually one of my favorite songs. I wasn’t so sure about this place at first, but I think I like it here. Has an interesting vibe here. So how did you start working here?”

He waits for a moment. Still no answer. Louis doesn’t look away from him for a moment. The boy slowly comes back to reality.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I basically had a conversation with you and you weren’t even here. How embarrassing.” Louis sips, cheeks burning slightly.

“Well, did you start with saying hello? I would’ve probably responded to that rather than a whole story.” The boy cheekily replies.

 _I like him._ Louis thinks to himself.

“I did, actually, but your drink looked more important than anything else at the moment so.” He continues to stare at him. The boy’s face flushes immediately.

“Oh—I apologize, sir. I—I, um, just—“

Louis lets out a laugh. The man’s face goes from flushed to a disgruntled kitten.

“I’m just messing with you. I saw you on stage. The performance was wonderful. I’m Louis. Louis Tomlinson.” He holds out his hand which the man takes quickly for a short shake.

 “Um, thank you. That’s kind of you.” Louis nods, smiling softly. As Louis goes to ask for his name, Zayn and Liam grab and pull him off the bar stool.

“There you are. I totally forgot the guys from Columbia said there was a great gig going on in Brooklyn. Let’s head out.”

“Wait, but—“ He’s pulled along, but has the chance to smile and wave at the mystery boy before he completely disappears.

“Guys, I was in the middle of a conversation with an adorable boy.”

“Oh sorry, Lou. Well, now we have an excuse to pull on you when we want to come back here.” Zayn replies happily.

“Yeah…I guess I do.” Louis says to himself, grinning. The boys hop into a taxi heading into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey! I just pulled this out of my butt and pasted it here for you to read. Sorry for grammar mistakes. I can't be bothered to read over it. It's 1 am and I'm tired. Hope you all enjoyed it. 
> 
> Leave any comments if you feel compelled to do so! Thanks for reading :)
> 
> tumblr: darkgirlinpearls.tumblr.com


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